Fantasy Football: Falcons shine, provide value

The 1972 Miami Dolphins keep replacing the ice their champagne sits upon as the Houston Texans and Atlanta Falcons remain undefeated after five weeks.

This has come with mixed results for the fantasy world. So we at least deserve cracking open a lukewarm PBR. And the chance for another perfect season should remain after today as the Falcons host the 1-3 Raiders for a 1 p.m. game.

Atlanta is largely doing its offensive damage through the air as quarterback Matt Ryan has emerged as an elite fantasy option. The fifth-year starter out of BC had been a solid player through his career, but through five games this year is third in the NFL in passing yards (1,507), second in TDs (14), and has thrown only three interceptions.

Not bad for someone who was, at best, a second-tier option on draft day after the elites were gone.

The emergence of Ryan isn't a complete surprise as he had some top-level tools in receivers Roddy White and Julio Jones. The only argument going into the season was who would be better, with the veteran White (19.4 average draft position on ESPN.com) coming out a bit ahead of Jones (26.3).

Thankfully for the mental well-being of those who ended up with one of the Falcons wideouts, Ryan has had enough balls to go around, satisfying both the owners of White (31 receptions, 481 yards, three TDs) and Jones (26, 313, 4).

Although fantasy owners were aware of the potential explosiveness of the Falcons' offense, we had downplayed their top running back, Michael Turner, to a low No. 2 option. Even with the potent air attack, though, he has surpassed those expectations.

Turner has remained a key part of the offense, rushing 73 times. His yards-per-carry average isn't great, but is acceptable at 4.4. Add in three TDs and an owner is getting a good return from a player from whom little was expected.

Things should continue well for the Falcons today as the Raiders have only the 25th-ranked defense. Atlanta then goes on its bye week and comes back with two NFC East games against the Eagles (eigth-ranked defense) and Cowboys (fourth).

Those teams have overall defensive numbers that stand up well, but Philadelphia (minus-19) and Dallas (minus-23) have negative point differentials, so thinking Atlanta can keep up the hot offense over them is not a wild idea.

Then, through the rest of the season, the Falcons still have two games each against the Buccaneers (27th-ranked defense) and the Saints (32nd). So we should all thank Atlanta for giving us the rare joy of not having to worry if its players are worth starting in our fantasy lineups.

Houston is also undefeated, but has not allowed such luxury. First, its five wins are over teams — Miami, Jacksonville, Denver, Tennessee and New York Jets — with losing records.

Then there is quarterback Matt Schaub, who has not had a 300-yard passing game, and the Texans have had only one 100-yard receiving game, by Andre Johnson back in the first week. Of course, the Texans haven't exactly had to engage in a shootout with any of their subpar opponents.

Or it may just be that running back Arian Foster is that good. Why would you put the ball up in the air if you have the second-leading rusher in the league, who has run for more touchdowns than anyone else?

We should get a better feel for just what type of team Houston is over its next two games. It gets the late game tonight, hosting the Packers, and then welcomes Baltimore next week.

The Texans have shined on defense, too. They are third overall (275.6 yards per game), third against the pass (190.2) and ninth against the rush (85.4). Linebacker Brian Cushing went on the IR this week, though. That can't be the best thing when your next game is against an Aaron Rodgers-led offense.

These next two games, then, should give us a better feel for what type of team the Texans can be on both sides of the ball.

As for those aforementioned last-place-in-defense Saints, they get a bye week to savor their first win of the season. Quarterback Drew Brees threw a touchdown pass for the 48th consecutive game, surpassing one of the game's hallowed records, in the same game that New Orleans got its premier tally in this year's win column.

When the Saints do come back next week, they get a great chance to double that victory output when they play at Tampa Bay.

After a couple of disappointing outings, things started to turn for the Saints even as their losses mounted. The season started with two eight-point losses to the Redskins and Panthers (and even those can be spun to say they're one-score defeats), but then went to an overtime loss by a field goal to Kansas City and a one-point defeat to the Packers at Lambeau Field.

What we have learned through this is that as Brees goes, so go the Saints (see chart).

Brees threw four interceptions over the first two losses, but has only two over the three games since. And somehow, through all that, he emerged as the NFL leader in passing yards (1,720) and touchdown passes (14).

New Orleans hasn't given up fewer than 24 points in a game, but it also hasn't scored fewer than 24. So we can now be sure that we haven't lost the Saints' throw-it-up offense that always seems to get at least four receivers owned in every fantasy league, but we can also be sure that one doesn't have to be squeamish if you have offensive players facing New Orleans.

Josh Bousquet can be contacted by email at tgfantasy@gmail.com.

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